Buchanan's points are also well made, and I find myself widely in agreement with him.
There are still many legitimate differences in Conservative views on different issues: for instance Buchanan's bluntly mercantilist economics vs. the free trade orthodoxy of the Wall Street Journal crowd.
The interesting thing about the Tea Party is that it is agnostic on the wedge issues, but still has a center. That's driving the establicons crazy cause they can't triangulate and subvert it like they have most other things.
My contention is that if current Tea Partiers, or any other truly conservative spokesman for that matter, will use the Founders' own words (especially Jefferson) as they attempt to debate or explain their ideas, the Establishment Progressives of both Parties will have no coherent response.
The "self-evident" truths, as articulated by the Founders, are so simple and powerful that they trump the prevailing wisdom of those who discuss issues, but never have studied not debated the underlying principles of our Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
The ideas essential to liberty are enduring and timeless. The counterfeit ideas of Mao, Marx and Lenin, as espoused and practiced by the Progressives, are counterfeit and easily exposed.
America's first 200 years stands as a testament to the former. All the other nations who have tried the counterfeit ideas have failed. Enough said!